[MUSIC PLAYING]
ZACHARY QUINTO: The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle
may finally be close to being solved.
Experts have theorized that the area's high concentration
of magnetite could be causing interference with the Earth's
magnetic field, leading to weather
anomalies, dangerous algae growth,
and problems with navigation.
If that's the case, then the issue lies much
deeper than the ocean floor.
It lies at the very core of our planet.
And according to geophysics professor Dr. Justin Revenaugh,
a potentially catastrophic magnetic shift
is happening there right now.
JUSTIN REVENAUGH: My interest in the Earth's magnetic field
began when I was in college.
Because of a big solar storm, the northern lights
move further down from the poles than usual.
And I thought it was amazing.
And as a result, I've kept tabs on the magnetic field
through the rest of my life.
And what it's doing right now is unusual.
ZACHARY QUINTO: What it's doing is moving.
And it might be taking the Bermuda
Triangle right along with it.
JUSTIN REVENAUGH: So here, we're looking down on the north
pole of the planet.
Geographic north lies right there.
And shown in the colored dots are the position
of magnetic north over time.
We start down here in 1900, moving steadily northward
slowly, until about 1990, at which point,
it started moving much more quickly.
And at the present day, it's moving at a rate of 35 miles
per year to the north and west.
If that motion continues, it'll cross the Arctic Ocean
and work its way into Russia.
ZACHARY QUINTO: The question is if the Bermuda Triangle
features a deadly magnetic anomaly,
how might it be impacted by the planet's magnetic shift?
JUSTIN REVENAUGH: The average person has no idea
that magnetic north is moving.
Why should they?
Can't see it.
You don't feel it.
But it affects the navigation of ships and airplanes.
ZACHARY QUINTO: It's a problem that sounds a lot like what
could be happening in the Bermuda Triangle,
except now, it's beginning to occur on a global scale.
These changes are requiring us to update maps and software
to accommodate the shifts in the poles that are necessary
to make sure that GPS and compass-based navigation
continues to be accurate.
ZACHARY QUINTO: But according to Dr. Revenaugh,
there could be even greater consequences for life on Earth.
JUSTIN REVENAUGH: The Earth's magnetic field
acts like a forcefield.
If you think about "Star Trek," the USS Enterprise, when they
would be shot by lasers, and photon weapons
would be deflected away from the spacecraft.
"Star Trek" didn't pull this out of thin air.
Our planet's magnetic field is protecting us
from space weather, solar radiation, solar winds.
If they reach the Earth in full numbers,
it could shut down electrical grids, gas and oil pipelines,
cellular and satellite communication, television,
aircraft flights, and potentially other things
that we haven't even thought about.
It won't happen overnight, but we are seeing signs that it
could happen rather soon.
Scholars like Dr. Revenaugh are currently
trying to identify all of the issues
that a magnetic shift could cause.
After that, they'll still need to convince governments,
private companies, and engineers to shore up our infrastructure
before it's too late.
As for the Bermuda Triangle, if it is moving northwest
as we proposed, thankfully, it remains an isolated area just
500,000 square miles on the surface of a nearly 200 million
square mile planet.
But if we don't plan for the future,
the entire world may one day become a Bermuda Triangle--
a place where safe navigation of the seas and skies
can no longer be possible.
The search continues.